Police in Swansea are launching a hard hitting campaign to highlight the devastating consequences of heroin use in the city.
The Heroin Ruins Lives Campaign aims to raise awareness of the impact the class A drug is having on users, their families and friends, and the wider community on a daily basis.
Police hope that their message will encourage people to come forward with information about the supply of heroin and other drugs, particularly dealers who prey on and target Swansea.
The campaign features a powerful poster and flyer depicting the headstone of a deceased heroin user. Since 2007 there have been 61 drug related deaths in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.
Detective Inspector Jason Davies of Swansea Central Police Station, who is leading the campaign said
“Swansea is recognised nationally as having a significant heroin misuse problem and this makes the area vulnerable to infiltration by organised crime groups intent on supplying heroin on our streets.”
“The purpose of the project is to raise awareness of the impact heroin has on the user, those closest to them and the community as a whole.”
“Without the support of the community we are often one step behind in the fight against heroin supply and those closest to the user are often best placed to provide information on the supply networks.”
“With your support, together we can respond to the needs of the community by acting dynamically on this intelligence, we can better the quality of life for the family of the user by reducing heroin availability which in turn offers opportunities for them to support the user to engage in rehabilitative programmes”
Latest figures reveal that police have detected 188 drug trafficking offences between September 2010 and 2011, compared to 91 for the same period the previous year.
In the past 18 months, more than £1.2 million worth of Class B drugs have been seized, while since April 2010 more £500, 000 worth of Class A drugs have been recovered.
Since April 2010 prison sentences totalling more than 200 years have been handed down by the courts for drug trafficking offences, whilst 13 organised groups have been disrupted after they were caught infiltrating Swansea to supply heroin.
Chief Superintendent Mark Mathias Divisional Commander of the Western Division of South Wales Police said
“ It has been well documented that Swansea has a significant drugs problem, however we are fully committed to working with our partners, not only to target those who bring misery to our communities but also to support the users and their families who are all to often the forgotten victims2
“This is a hard hitting campaign, which I a sure will be impactive in raising awareness of the consequences of heroin misuse, which touches the lives of hundreds of families every day”
The campaign has the full support of the Swansea Drugs Project and encourages anyone has concerns for drug users to contact them.
Ifor Glyn Director of the Swansea Project said ;
“Heroin misuse is one of the biggest problems facing communities in Swansea. The number of deaths over the years is shocking and the cost to families and friends unbearable.”
“As an agency we have been seeing an increase in the numbers seeking help because of heroin misuse for a number of years with an increase of 40% in the last year.
“If this initiative helps reduce the harm caused by heroin to users, their families, children and the community in general, it should be supported. Our doors are open to anybody who wants help to overcome their problems”.
